Winter's Love
by Kotori425
Summary: After the death of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle, Elsa goes to seek help from the rock trolls, but finds someone else there. Loki means to manipulate his new little project for his own purposes, but soon finds himself questioning his true motives. Part one of a three part series.
1. First Meeting

Author's Note: Welp, my first fic in a long, long, loooooooong time! This story started out very simple, but with some help from a wonderful friend, it's grown and expanded into something much bigger that I'm quite excited about. This piece in its entirety will end up being quite long, without giving too much away, I'll just say that it's going to end up being more like three sub-stories in one. It will involve more than one Elsa ship, it will introduce some new OC's, and hopefully, it'll be a fun, emotional ride for everyone. Enjoy.

"I'm not here for fire crystals or trinkets, little Troll, I'm here for deep magics!"

A strange, powerful voice echoed from the stone basin. One tall figure stood in the center of a ring of many boulders. Standing boulders, for each stood as little men and woman, wearing tunics of moss and crystal garlands around their necks. A slightly larger boulder stood in the center before the tall figure, unflinching. Resting his arms on a pine staff, he parleyed with the stranger. "We have no deep magics for you here, Loki Odinson."

The tall figure called Loki shuffled, agitated. He looked ever imposing in the moonlight with his golden horned crown. "Do not test me, you insignificant creature. I felt it come from here, the call of powerful sorcery. Do you think you can hide it from me forever? I will find it, and when I do, I shall cast all of you into a pit for your insolence!"

It appeared to Elsa that the figure was done meeting with the trolls, and he stormed off in the direction of the fjords. She kept herself hidden in the shadows, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing. It couldn't _really_ be...that wasn't possible. She waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps before coming forward. "Grandpabbie…"

"Princess Elsa," the elder troll bowed, and the others followed suit. "We heard about your parents. I'm so terribly sorry."

Elsa bit back tears. "They were the only ones who knew...please, I need help, I can't control this on my own."

Grandpabbie gently took Elsa's hands in his; they were large, gravelly, and cool to the touch. "You must not allow your heart to falter in such dire times. Always remember, your Majesty, that fear will bring tragedy. You must fill your heart with love."

"Come with me, Princess." Grandpabbie led her away from the other trolls and to a small grove where they could speak. Elsa knelt on the grass beside him. "You have so much love and wonder inside of you, but you keep it locked away. This is not the way. You must share this love with the world."

"How can I?" Elsa despaired. "My power brings pain. It nearly killed Anna. It's only grown stronger since then."

Grandpabbbie nodded. "Yes, your magic is very powerful, and left unchecked, it can turn terrible. But strength does not mean only destruction. You are meant for great things, I have faith in you. Try to open your heart and find love, yes?" He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for signs of hope.

Elsa looked sadly back at the little troll. "I'll...I'll try. Thank you, Grandpabbie." She rose and walked back towards her horse, wiping tears from her eyes as she went.

"Well now, this _is_ a surprise." A voice rose from nowhere and Elsa gasped as a familiar silhouette emerged from the shadows - no, it looked as though the shadows themselves came together to form the shape of the imposing figure from before, the one the trolls had called Loki Odinson.

He circled her, studying her like an object. "I must admit, this is not what I expected to find, so much magic contained within one tiny mortal."

Elsa eyed the stranger with fear. She prayed he wouldn't notice the frost creeping over the grass at her feet. "I don't know what you're talking about," she lied lamely. "Please, I just want to go home…"

"'My power brings pain. It nearly killed Anna'," he pantomimed, but the way he spoke, it almost sounded as though he relished it. "'It's only grown stronger since then'." The last part he spoke with an edge that told her it was no use lying to him.

"Perhaps I should take your precious Anna out of the picture." Loki stepped closer now, cutting her off from her horse. "What will you do -"

"No!" Elsa blurted. She hadn't even realized when she raised her hand and launched a dozen ice spikes past the stranger's face and into the tree behind him.

Loki paused and slowly turned to observe her work. He tried to hide his excitement, but he was quite aware that it must have looked to her like a malicious grin.

He took slow and purposeful steps to close the gap between them, and Elsa could see more of him in the moonlight; hair black as the night sky above, flowing back over his head, the twinkling in his eyes that conveyed danger, and excitement. "Why...if my brother were here, he would crush you like an insect for conspiring with the Frost Giants. Oh, but you need not fear the same reprisal from me, for I am Loki of Asgard, and I am a most benevolent god. I could teach you how to control your powers, just as you desire...and how to create wonders beyond your wildest dreams."

Elsa kept her hands clutched close to her chest, but she looked at him with cautious intrigue. What if it could be true...there had once been a time when she was happy with her powers, when they brought her and her sister so much joy…

She forced herself to push those thoughts aside, much as she wanted to believe it. _Don't be a fool, Elsa._ "Loki is just a myth." She scoffed slightly. "Even if you are who you say, why should I trust you? I'm dangerous all on my own, I don't need you exploiting my curse for your own ends."

"Is that what you tell yourself?" He stood before her, eyes piercing into her.

"That I am nothing more than a child's fairytale?" Another dark figure, just as tall, ominous and arrogant as the first stepped out from the trees.

"To keep them from misbehaving?" Yet another copy of Loki appeared from thin air, now blocking the way she came from.

"You don't have to trust me, but I can assure you, there are none in this world who understand magic as I do. Besides that, who else would you turn to? I do believe I heard you say something about how 'the only ones who knew' are gone now." Loki of Asgard knew something about being an outcast, and here, the experience was useful to him.

Elsa looked nervously at the doubles surrounding her, then back at the real Loki. The heartache in her brilliant blue eyes was plain to see. "I just...I don't want to hurt anyone," she said weakly.

"Of course not." Loki cast a nonchalant glance back at the ice shards embedded into the tree behind him. "But you will, if you don't gain control."

"Or if you harm Anna," Elsa added, her eyes now crackling with cold anger. "If you lay a hand on her, Odin himself won't be able to save you."

"Oh, I'm very frightened." He smiled. The way her moods flashed in her gaze sent a shiver of interest through him. He loved to see such emotion from mortals, it was like fine dining and he could not help but provoke them to bring out this side of themselves. He lived for it. "And what, exactly, will you do to a god?"

"A god means nothing to a nonbeliever," Elsa shot back. She moved past him to get to her horse.

 _Oh, indeed,_ Loki thought to himself, watching as she left. But he had little use for believers, and so much use for her power. For now, it was time for him to return, before he would be missed and questions asked, but this venture had yielded the most interesting fruit. He would eagerly anticipate his next journey to Midgard.


	2. Odin's Command

_Author's Note: Honestly, I'm mostly adding this bit because without it, the word count is 666 and I'm superstitious af. Other than that, enjoy the conflict set-up. One of my favorite chapters comes out next week!_

Heimdall stood watch at his post, vigilant as ever. The only acknowledgement he gave to Loki's return was his golden eyes glancing toward the flash of the Bifrost, and a simple statement. "The Allfather would speak with you."

"Would he, now?" Loki turned to Heimdall, still wearing that characteristic smirk. "Well, whatever Father wishes, he shall have." The words paid only lip service, for Loki's attitude towards his else-doting father was no secret in Asgard.

His father's private chambers were empty, except for the fearsome figure that was Odin. "You wanted to speak with me, Father?" Loki spoke softly, always hoping this time would be unlike the last, that he would be shown the love and respect he so rightfully deserved.

"I have seen that you journeyed to Midgard, my son," said Odin, gruff as ever. He hardly looked up from some chart spread out on the table before him. "For what purpose?"

Loki smiled. Surely his report would be pleasing to hear. "While reading in the observatory, I sensed a new and powerful magic at work. It called out, as though in distress, so full of grief. I went to investigate and found the source; a seed now, but taking root and growing. Nothing I can't handle, but if manipulated properly, it could be a valuable asset -"

"I had hoped you would grow weary of tormenting humans after all this time," Odin interrupted as he finally looked up. The look on his father's face told Loki that this time would be no different from all the others. "I know of this power, and of the source you speak of, this ice witch living in Arendelle. Her magic is of no interest to Asgard, it is too volatile and unpredictable." Odin's only eye fixed Loki with a stern stare. "Just like you. We Asgardians have stayed out of the affairs of mortals for centuries, and I aim to keep it that way. My command is this: you will not seek out the sorceress again, and this will go no further."

Loki's jaw clenched tightly with fury. "So, you send for me straight away, demand a private audience…all to tell me that she and her power are not important?" No, Loki knew there was something more. His anger began to spill over and he paced back and forth before Odin's war table. "Were it my brother in my place, you would have given him your blessings! You would have let him galavant all over Midgard to do as he pleases, why do you stop me?"

"Your king has given you a direct order!" Odin bellowed. He stood tall, holding his staff, his imposing presence filling the room. "I will only say this one time, Loki; you would do well to obey for once. If you do not...there will be consequences. You will leave the woman be, and I will hear no more of it."

 _No, indeed you won't,_ Loki thought darkly as Odin swept past him out of the room. The Allfather would hear no more about it, Loki would be sure of that.

Odin strode through his halls, brow furrowed in irritation.

"He won't give up so easily." The King of Asgard looked up when he heard Frigga's voice, and saw her standing at the balcony.

"I have warned him," said Odin shortly. He turned to continue on his way and Frigga fell into step beside him. "If he's as clever as he believes he is, he will stay away from her."

Frigga sighed. "Nothing makes any treasure so desireable as putting it behind a locked door."

"What would you have me do, beloved wife?" Odin stopped and turned to Frigga. "To allow Loki to continue toying with this mortal's _ice_ magic?" Frigga said nothing, but he knew she thought the same as he. "Her power is unstable, even the witch herself cannot control it. I make this judgement for the good of all." Frigga could only watch as he turned and continued walking away.


	3. Duet

Author's Note: Firstly, apologies for being a day late with this chapter. I've had a pretty crazy week, lots of traveling and being exhausted. Also this is one of my favorite parts, and I wanted to try and do it as much justice as I could. So, without further ado...

 _What did I ever do to you?_

 _Enough, Anna…_

 _No! Why? Why do you shut me out? Why do you shut the world out? What are you so afraid of?!_

 _I said, ENOUGH!_

The words kept echoing through Elsa's head, no matter how hard she tried to banish them. Still, she trudged on, moving through the thick snow that glowed white on the mountain top. She held herself protectively, trying not to think too hard about the shocked stares and suspicious whispers...the hurt and confusion in Anna's eyes. _I'm sorry, Papa. I tried, I tried so hard to keep it in…_

"Do you think they'll be coming with torches or pitchforks?" Elsa whirled around when she heard his voice. There Loki stood, gazing at the storm gathering over Arendelle in the distance. "I think pitchforks, since you're so lovely with that thing you do." He finally turned to smile at her. "It seems as though you need my help, little Queen."

Elsa only stared in wide-eyed amazement as she approached slowly, looking unsure if he was real. Then she shoved him and beat her fists uselessly against his chest.

"Three years!" she exploded. "For three years I waited for you to come help me! For three years I had to keep pushing away the only family I had left! And you decide that _now_ is a good time for you to appear again?!"

Loki's face clouded. "Is my time so inconsequential that I put aside all other matters for your urgencies?" he spat at her, annoyed with the effort she had cost him. Yes, it had taken him three earthly years to simply obfuscate his passage. _Mortals could do to show a little more gratitude._ He could feel his rage beginning to boil up, ripples of his anger coursed his godly might into the snow; but he calmed his temper, and looked her sternly in the eye. "Nonetheless, I am here now. I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it." With that, he snatched Elsa's remaining glove and tossed it away on the wind before she could grab it back.

"Hey!" Elsa watched her glove twirl away through the air. She turned to Loki, outrage written all over her face.

"Why are you upset? You had no further need for it," Loki smirked. "They all know already, what reason do you have to hide anymore? You need to let go of that bar you hold, and simply...do what it is you do." He took her hand and held it up between them, feeling the magic float up and out of her palm in an elegant snow flurry.

Elsa watched the snowflakes dance in the air and felt a twinge of...giddiness. She slowly lifted her other hand and even managed a giggle as she conjured another puff of snow. Loki released her and watched as she turned, twirled her hand and effortlessly raised a little snowman from the ground. Both their smiles grew as she continued to tentatively experiment with her powers.

"Why don't you try something grander? Test your limits?" Loki suggested.

Elsa unclasped her cloak and felt the wind lift it from her shoulders and carry it off. Already, she felt so much lighter. She turned to a large gorge before them and conjured a frosty staircase that arched gracefully to the other side. When she placed her foot on the first step, it turned to solid ice at her whim. Elsa threw her arms out and ran across, tossing her head back with joyous laughter; she felt almost as though she were flying, one with the wind and sky.

Loki followed across the frozen stairs, feeling her magic flow with such beauty and strength. When they reached the other side, both were breathless with exhilaration. Elsa turned to Loki with an emboldened look in her eyes. He watched as she lifted the hem of her skirt and stamped her foot down; a huge, icy snowflake blossomed on the ground beneath them, which Elsa raised up with a mighty gesture. Her power flurried all around them, forming strong walls that reflected hues from blue, to purple and pink. With each new thought, she found a new way to express her creativity with grand, open halls and shimmering ballrooms. Even the fractal work of the crystalline chandelier was pure beauty and perfection. Father knew nothing, this mortal was finding control of her power so naturally that it almost gave a godson envy.

Elsa removed the tiara from her head, then looked up at Loki. With a triumphant grin, she tossed it aside and swiftly unraveled her tightly bound hair. Another wave of her hand and her dress began to glimmer magically as it changed. The black velvet of her sleeves transformed into a sheer, wintry blue and a long, majestic cape billowed out behind her as she strode to her balcony to meet the dawn.

Loki found himself entranced by the way she looked in the light of day. She turned to face him and he was almost left breathless; there was a new glow in her eyes, even her skin and hair were radiant in the morning light, like new fallen snow. This princess had truly become a queen.

"There, was that so hard?" Loki asked, regaining his sly smile.

Elsa couldn't help the laugh that came out of her. She was just too relieved to be annoyed. "I never thought I would say this, but...thank you, Loki. Thank you for helping me to let go."

"As I said before, little Queen, I made you a promise," Loki grinned. "Are you ready to learn what you are truly capable of?"

An excited smile slowly crept over Elsa's face. "Yes. Please, show me."

Loki leisurely strode about the room, taking in the spectacular structures of Elsa's palace. "Your magic certainly has a wonderful artistic flair...but there is astounding strength in it as well. Once you've harnessed it, there will be few who could stand against you."

"'Stand against me'?" Elsa questioned. "I came out here to _avoid_ conflict."

"Come now, my dear, I know you aren't that naive." He stopped and turned to Elsa. "All rulers are met with challengers sooner or later. How long do you think the villagers will leave you in peace before they tire of the Snow Queen looming over them?" He saw the look on her face and his tone softened. "Do not be troubled. If handled well, you will only need to suffer a few foolish hero types before they learn their lesson. You need not harm anyone, but the point is for them to _believe_ that you will. The fear within yourself is the enemy; the fear within others can be quite useful."

Elsa caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked at the wall behind where Loki stood and watched as his reflection, on its own, turned around and emerged into the room from the ice. The doppelganger drew a knife, malicious intent burning in its blank eyes, before striding swiftly forward. Elsa stammered and took a few staggered steps backward, but instinct soon took over. As though on its own, her arm raised and flung an icy blast at her attacker, though her magic passed right through the target as it disappeared in a shimmer of golden light.

"Well done," Loki commented, trying not to make his fascination too obvious. "But as is often the case with heroes, reinforcements aren't far behind."

More reflections began to materialize out of the walls. Elsa swept her arm and took out half by raising a jagged crag under their feet, then turned and stayed the others by trapping them within a ring of vicious ice spikes. She turned back to Loki and found him beaming, no longer able to contain his captivation. The way he watched her...it made her feel so timid, but so empowered at the same time. The copies of Loki and the rough ice Elsa had conjured both faded away, but the two could only stand there, unable to look away from each other.

Until three thunderous knocks and the crack of the front doors opening rang throughout the palace.

"Are the knights in shining armor here already?" Loki mused. "That was fast."

"It's Anna," Elsa answered immediately; she would recognize that knock anywhere. She went to the bannister where she had a good view of the entrance hall and sure enough, saw her sister standing there, gazing around in awe.

"I can't believe she came all this way..." Elsa began, but noticed the shadows in the room shifting. She whirled around and watched just as Loki faded out into nothing. "Wait, no -!" She grunted in frustration, but composed herself and went to greet her second visitor.


	4. Sword Sacrifice

_Author's Note: These are taking a little longer than expected. And life is still proving rather...complicated for me at the moment. Still, I will try to stay as consistent as I can, and to give my all to telling this story well. Thanks for taking the time to read, y'all 3_

"Get it together...control it! Don't feel, _don't feel_ …" Elsa's footsteps echoed through her palace as she paced back and forth. The icicles had finally withdrawn from the walls, but she didn't know how long she could keep her worry at bay. She tried to think of what advice Loki would give...but she didn't know if thinking of him would make things better or worse.

Elsa was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her ice golem bellow angrily outside, followed by men shouting. She hurried downstairs and peered out the front doors to see her guardian swiping fiercely at several soldiers. _Loki was right. They've come for me, to defeat this winter._

"The queen!" Elsa saw two of the soldiers scramble to their feet and rush for the staircase. She closed the doors and ran to the upper levels of her castle. She could hear the doors shatter, hear the footfalls drawing closer and the men shouting after her, until they cornered her in the hall of the ice chandelier. "We got 'er!"

"No, please..." Elsa begged, holding her arms out defensively. She heard the click of a crossbow trigger and threw her hands in front of her face; when she opened her eyes she saw the bolt caught in a protective wall of ice, point hanging within an inch of her nose. She saw the two men reloading and moving to surround her, and once again her will to survive overtook her.

"Stay away!" The ice rumbled as it rose up roughly from the floor and pushed the soldiers back. Before one could raise his crossbow, Elsa remembered her training and pinned her attacker to the wall with the same spikes she'd used against Loki's dummies. The man could feel one frigid point focused aggressively on his throat.

Elsa whirled around and hurled a bolt of magic at the second soldier, knocking the crossbow from his hand. _They have to believe you'll hurt them_. He tried to run, but she raised up barriers of strong ice to block his escape. His feet scrabbled against the slippery floor in vain as the blockade forced him towards the edge of the balcony, pushed by a fierce, howling wind.

"Queen Elsa!" She didn't have to turn around to recognize that voice. _I should have known, he probably joined this daring mission to impress Anna._ "Don't be the monster they fear you are!"

The wind stopped abruptly as Elsa looked back over her shoulder at Hans, hostility replaced with confusion. Her arms slowly began to withdraw, but in her contemplation, she didn't notice the man trapped by spikes raise his crossbow with one free arm. All she saw was Hans rush him and yank his arm upward just as the trigger pulled. Elsa looked up when she heard a sharp snap and felt terror seize her as her gorgeous chandelier came plummeting down. She only ran far enough to avoid being crushed, but the impact knocked her off her feet, head smacking painfully against the floor. Stars exploded in her vision before everything went dark.

Tucked away in a silent corner of the library in Asgard, Loki thumbed vaguely through the book in his hands. Though he had managed to avoid Thor all day and find some peace and quiet, his mind was restless. His eyes didn't register the words in front of him, his thoughts always drifting back to the Snow Queen. Most curious to him was that he didn't find himself preoccupied with her power...instead he recalled the way her laughter sounded on the wind as she ran across the frozen stairs, or the balletic way she danced as her castle raised up around her. Something about her enchanted him in a way that had nothing to do with magic. And he needed to know more.

Loki placed the book back on the shelf and left the library. He cast an illusion over himself to appear as a simple guard before making his way down to the lower levels of the Asgardian palace. Though few knew of the labyrinth of ancient tunnels beneath the ground, Loki knew better than to be regularly seen going anywhere near them. As he delved deeper, the refined structures of the palace gradually gave way to rough-hewn stone, which eventually turned into nothing more than a natural cleft in the rock, barely large enough to move through.

As always, the passage through felt like both a heartbeat and an eternity, but eventually Loki found himself at the other end of the tunnel and standing on the North Mountain of Arendelle. He cast off his illusion and readied to meet with his darling pet, but his heart plummeted when he spotted the half-smashed staircase. He carefully made his way across and passed through the shattered entrance of the ice castle.

"Little Queen, are you here?" he called out anxiously, but the only answer was his own echo. He ran upstairs and found more destruction. His boots crunched over the broken shards of the once-magnificent chandelier. He could feel his fury beginning to rise as he observed the discarded crossbows, swords, and those flimsy, metal-tipped projectiles encased in ice. How dare those lowly creatures fire upon his little Queen, to attack something that was his?

The only thing to match his anger were the biting winds that had begun to blow. Arendelle would have seen Loki's wrath, if he hadn't observed the raging storm in the distance doing his work for him. The Snow Queen was still alive, he could feel her worry and fear on the air. He moved swiftly down towards the fjord, fleeting from shadow to shadow. By the time he'd reached the frozen sea, the gale had grown so powerful that even with his godly might, Loki had difficulty fighting his way through the harsh, stinging wind. Still, he pressed on through the blizzard towards where he sensed the heart of Elsa's despair, like a beacon through the blinding snow. He slowly but surely drew nearer and nearer, until he heard a single sentence cut through the roaring wind.

"Your sister is dead because of you!"

Loki could perceive Elsa's devastation almost as though it was his own. The swirling storm died around them, leaving a numb stillness hanging in the air. He noticed other mortals standing nearby and cast an invisibility illusion over himself before any of them could notice him. He turned towards the sound of a sword being drawn and saw Elsa collapsed to her knees before a redhaired man in a fine grey coat, raising his blade high.

"No!" The sole thought in Loki's head rang out across the fjord, though in another's voice. Before he could act, a girl in snow-white braids threw herself protectively in front of Elsa. Unseen, Loki cast his telekinetic force towards the prince's sword and splintered the steel just before it touched the girl's icy fingers. The force threw the would-be assassin backwards as ice fully enveloped the form of Elsa's sister.

"Anna!" Elsa's anguished cry seized Loki's heart with guilt. He had tried to spare his little Queen the loss of the one thing she held dear, dear enough to defy a god...but it was too late for the princess now. He could only look on helplessly like all the rest as Elsa threw her arms around Anna's frozen form, weeping bitterly.

Elsa clung to what remained of her sister, sobbing. It was true, she'd killed her, she truly was a monster. _You deserved so much better than this, Anna. You deserved so much better than me. Please, just ask me once more...just one more time…I promise I'll open the door..._

She could feel a tiny point of warmth against her chest, spreading from within Anna's frozen body. The hard ice gave way to the feel of a living heartbeat and a loving embrace. Elsa looked up and was met with her beloved sister's beaming, freckled face. She gasped, overjoyed, and held Anna tight.

"You sacrificed yourself for me?" Elsa asked, deeply moved.

"I love you," Anna replied warmly.

Loki gave a content smile as he watched them from afar. He moved back to the shore as Elsa raised her arms and lifted the winter from the land; even when dispelling her own magic, she filled him with such wonder. He began to fade back into the shadows once more, leaving his dear little Queen to reunite with her family in peace. He greatly looked forward to seeing how she would strengthen her power the next time he saw her.


	5. There's Beauty And There's Danger Here

_Author's Note: Knocked this one out early! Not much to say here, but this was good fun to write, and I'm pretty excited to be getting into some material outside of the movies._

Elsa took a deep breath of the cold, thin air and let out a relieved sigh. She loved the way the moonlight looked as it came shining through the walls of her ice castle. She leisurely ran her fingertips along the sparkling surface as she walked, feeling the magic moving through like the blood in a man's veins. Though her people had come to accept her, she still enjoyed her little kingdom of isolation at times. Besides that, this place reminded her of...him. He had been the one to help her discover the true beauty in her power, and this palace stood as her reminder of that. He was even the reason she preferred to come here during the night; she could imagine that he was hiding in wait for her in one of those dark corners, or that she truly did see a shadow dart upstairs out of the corner of her eye - _wait, what?_

She whirled around and rushed up the steps, heading towards the balcony. Her heart fluttered when she found Loki standing at the railing, looking out into the night sky. He turned back to face her, wearing a proud smile. "You've been diligent in your practice. I do believe that eastern tower is new?"

Elsa beamed back at him. "I don't understand what you find so difficult about approaching from the front."

He bowed jokingly, as a servant might. "I am Loki of Asgard, and if I approach from the front, then you should be more concerned with what's behind you." Though he concealed it well, he was once again moved by the endearing sound of her laughter. He rose and wordlessly extended his hand to her.

Still smiling, Elsa looked at Loki questioningly. She knew by his expression that she'd never get a straight answer out of him, so she simply placed her hand in his. Her heart was racing again as he gently held her fingers. He slowly walked them back towards the balcony railing, the barrier in his path fading to nothing as he stepped off the edge and onto thin air. Elsa hesitated at the end of the balcony, but Loki only hovered before her, still holding her hand as he waited for her to trust him.

The air around Loki had a peculiar quality to it; it seemed to shift and turn hazy, vaguely in the silhouette of some kind of doorway. Elsa looked down at his feet that stood on nothing, then back up at him; something in his eyes filled her with certainty. She took a breath to steady herself, closed her eyes, and stepped off the platform.

Her foot landed on terrain of solid ice. She knew it was ice before she opened her eyes. She was left awestruck as she took in the wondrous world around them. A dark, frozen tundra, with some deep and ancient power moving through everything; from the fierce, invigorating winds whipping around them to the glacier beneath their feet. Never before had Elsa felt so alive.

"It's amazing," she said breathlessly. "What is this place?"

Loki watched her, enjoying the thrill on her face. For the first time, he found that in making someone else happy, he too found a measure of satisfaction. "This is Jotunheim. The Allfather led a campaign here once, before I was born. Not much else has happened in the thousand years since." He stepped back and held his arms out with a flourish. "This, my Queen, is your new stage. Here, there is nothing to confine you, no one to suppress you. Here...you are truly free to do as you please."

An excited grin spread over Elsa's face at his words. She pondered a moment, then closed her eyes in concentration. Her magic began to swell within her heart before radiating down her arms. She raised her hands up high and a cool light began to glimmer in the night sky. It turned and shifted like the aurora borealis back home, before spiraling into the shape of an elegant ice dragon. Elsa sent her creation twirling and dancing across the sky on glassy wings, moving her hands like a puppeteer.

Loki made no attempt to hide his enjoyment. Still, he hadn't merely brought her here to play. "Is that all? I do hope you've prepared more than that."

A deafening roar sounded as a large beast leapt from a crevasse in the ice, snatching the dragon from the air and pinning it down to the plateau with a crash. The creature looked like some cross between a bear and a rhinoceros, but several times as large as either. Elsa gasped in shock and turned to Loki, but he remained unperturbed and only looked to her for a solution. She turned back and pushed another surge of magic through her dragon; a trail of icy spikes sprang up along its back, its teeth grew sharper, its claws fiercer. The dragon swiped at the face of its attacker and threw the beast off with a furious snarl.

The plateau shook as the two titans brawled; neither seemed able to wrestle victory from the other. Loki merely chuckled and stood directly behind Elsa. "Quite impressive," he whispered in her ear. "But you still have much to learn. This is how a sorcerer fights." He pressed his head to hers in order to match their line of sight, and pulled her back against his chest with his left arm wrapped around her waist. With his right, he took her wrist and brought her palm up to face the monster still wrestling for dominance against her dragon. "First, you distract your opponent, lull them into a false sense of security, and that is when you truly strike. Aim for the heart."

Perhaps it was the feel of Loki's body against her, or his honeyed tongue whispering confidently in her ear, but for a moment the ice dragon faltered. That was all it took for the beast to topple it to the ground, rearing back to deliver the killing blow. "Now," Loki hissed urgently. "Do it now, while it's exposed."

Elsa placed her own hand over the one Loki had curled around her torso and felt a bolt of magic rushing down her raised arm. A large ice spear went flying out of her palm and straight through the beast's chest. It stumbled with a howl, but regained its footing and rounded on the two of them. Fortunately Elsa's magic acted quickly, and the beast was frozen in place as a crystal statue before it could lunge. The pair watched as the dragon picked itself up, battered and damaged, but it absorbed the power flowing through all of Jotunheim and repaired its wounds. The dragon stretched and flexed before clambering up the side of a glacial cliff and disappearing over the horizon.

Loki stood still where he was, not ready to let Elsa go. Keeping one arm wrapped around her, the fingers of his other hand curled around hers. The heat rose in her pale cheeks as they nestled closer, and he turned her within his embrace so they were facing one another. "You are so much more than what others have seen," he said softly. He gazed into her eyes with an expression he hadn't felt in a long time: honesty. Then he kissed her with a fire he never knew he had.

Elsa was startled, but her eyes drifted closed and she sank into his kiss all the same. Her arms slipped around his neck, heart soaring. There was no greater magic in the world than the way he felt against her. Even when they finally broke the kiss, this new and beautiful thrill continued to course through the whole of her being. With purpose, and a coy smile, Loki lifted her into his arms and walked into the air towards the portal he had prepared; back to her balcony and into the castle, the doors closing securely behind them.


	6. Consequences

_Author's Note: Ok, I guess firstly, apologies are in order; I didn't mean to take so long with this chapter, but life really threw me a few curveballs, and inspiration didn't exactly come easily during this time. And my motivation can be quite a fickle bitch anyway. Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this next chapter, thanks for the follows and the favorites, I appreciate every single one!_

Elsa's eyes fluttered open as dawn broke over the North Mountain. The light came gently shining through the palace walls, falling across the pile of soft furs draped over her bare body. She felt worry grip her heart and turned over in her bed, but gave a relieved sigh when she saw Loki peacefully asleep beside her. She reached out to lightly touch his face, just to be sure he was real, and nestled against his body.

Loki woke to feel Elsa's sweet warmth pressed against him. Before his eyes were open, he brought an arm around to hold her and tenderly kissed her forehead. Everything about her felt so right.

"I feared you'd gone again," she murmured into his skin.

Loki gently slid her platinum blonde hair away from her face and caressed her cheek. "I have been here more often than you know, my Queen. When I saw your castle after those men attacked you...I thought I might wipe that little city from the face of the earth."

Elsa moved her hand over his heartbeat and closed her eyes contentedly. "They were only scared; just as I was."

He brought her chin up to kiss her. "My dearest, I will ensure that you never have any reason to be afraid. What happened to Anna, it won't come to pass again." He grasped the hand she'd placed on his chest, his gaze tinged with regret. "And I'm sorry that I could not save her."

"We learned that day that true love is the answer." Elsa laid her forehead against his, returning his grip. "I know that I won't ever have to fear again, if I have you."

"True love?" Loki mildly scoffed; a bad habit, but he caught himself when he looked into her eyes. "Is that what this is?" He was no love expert, to be sure, but he wanted it to be true.

Elsa giggled at his reaction and laid her head back down against his shoulder. "It used to sound ridiculous to me, too. I thought Anna was such a naive fool."

Loki closed his eyes and basked in the feeling of Elsa laying against him, but remained silent in contemplation. He couldn't stand to pull himself from her, but thoughts of how to deal with distant matters weighed heavily on his mind. He had stayed for too long; Odin or one of his loyal subjects had surely noticed by now. The last thing he wanted was to test the Allfather's patience and bring him here, to put Elsa in danger again.

"I have some matters to see to back home," he lied - to protect her, he reasoned. Cursing the circumstances, he slowly rose and felt his longing reflected in her bright blue gaze. Already fighting to bring his resolve together, he pulled her close for one more kiss before rising from the bed and summoning his attire.

"I will return," he promised solemnly. Elsa could only watch wistfully as he turned and left.

When Loki was back in the palace he called home, he resumed his typical, arrogant stride. He looked rather more self-satisfied than usual. He stopped walking when a pair of soldiers stood before him.

"Lord Odin demands your presence in the throne room."

Loki gave a mildly surprised smirk. "Whatever Father wishes." The soldiers said nothing as they turned and escorted him. When they arrived, Odin sat imperiously on the high throne, lording over all. Beside him stood another pair of soldiers with an enormous gilded box between them.

Loki stood tall before him, gesturing casually to the guards. "Was all this...truly necessary?"

Odin stood up wordlessly, walked to the crate, reached inside and tossed the contents at Loki's feet: the head of Elsa's splendid ice dragon. "Explain this," he growled in a low, deadly voice.

"It seems that you've a new trophy for your mantle." Loki kept his tone and expression flippant to mask his worry.

"Perhaps when I have dealt with your precious Snow Queen, she'll stand right beside it," Odin glared. "Seems fitting, don't you agree?"

"What right?" Loki barked, any pretense vanished as he stood in defense of his heart's desire. "What right have you to take this from me? You know nothing about her!"

"I know that you were given an order, and a warning, and you blatantly disregarded both!"

"Oh yes, your dire, utterly unconvincing warning about the dreaded sorceress of Arendelle," Loki sneered. "Tell me, Father, how long do you believe that our mighty warriors could stand before this one human girl and her snow flurries?"

"Does _this_ look like a mere snow flurry to you?!" Odin bellowed, pointing with his staff to the dragon's head. He stormed over to Loki, his lone eye burning with anger. "I warned you that there would be consequences, Loki, but that word hardly seems to mean anything to you. This, I will remedy."

Before Loki could say anything further, Odin swung his staff over his head and slammed the butt onto the floor with a crack that echoed throughout the room. Loki found himself brought to his knees by an unseen force. "I strip you of your power!" Loki's armor clattered to the floor and he could feel the magic being ripped away from inside him. "You are sentenced to imprisonment until I have passed my judgement on the ice witch!"

Soldiers seized Loki by the arms and began to haul him away. Even without his godly might, he fought against them with everything he had. "Only tell me why! What does she threaten that you fear so much, for what reason do you resort to this? FOR WHAT REASON?!"

His shouts fell on deaf ears as he was dragged down to the dungeon and thrown into a cell. Loki pounded against the barrier of golden light until his hands bled, and then grabbed anything he could lift to slam against the shimmering wall. He knew it all to be in vain, but his heart ached at the thought of Odin visiting his fury upon his beloved. With each strike, Loki's resolve hardened; the Allfather would pay dearly for this one day.

"Brother!" Thor emerged into the dungeon, watching Loki's manic struggle with concern. "You must stop this!"

Loki hurled the leg of a shattered chair at the energy field and stalked over to where Thor stood. "Father's favorite," he spat venomously, wild with inconsolable anger. "Always given whatever he desired. What have you ever held dear? What have you ever claimed for your own, that no one had any right to take away? Her love was mine!" He didn't care if he made any sense, merely giving voice to the turmoil inside of him.

"Father told you she was dangerous, he commanded you to stay away -" Thor argued stubbornly.

Loki screamed against the barrier and hung his face. He couldn't remember the last time tears had come to him, but they stung. "What right have any of you to judge?" he growled. "I am the only one who has truly witnessed her power, only I have seen the truth." He looked back up, his conviction plain to see in his eyes. "Believe what you like, brother, but I tell you now, either Odin is wrong, or he lied to us. Her magic isn't dangerous...it's grace, and strength, and beauty beyond imagining." Despite his best efforts, his voice was twinged with despair when he spoke next, "What will happen to her? Has he passed his judgement already?"

"I don't know," Thor answered helplessly. He had never heard Loki speak this way, about anyone or anything. He knew that he couldn't stand idly by while his brother suffered this way, and his expression turned to one of determination. "I will go to her. I will find her, and warn her to flee. Perhaps, if she keeps ahead of the Allfather's wrath, he will not find it worth his time to pursue her."

Loki paused, and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You would undermine your own father, your king? For what, the sake of a mere mortal?"

"For the sake of my brother," Thor said earnestly. He looked forlorn, but hopeful at the same time. "I know you, Loki, and I know your love for this woman is true...you would not fight for her so if it wasn't. Only tell me where to find her, and I will go to Midgard on your behalf."

Loki still seemed unsure, but he knew that no one else would be willing to take such a risk, especially not for the likes of himself. "She rules over a land called Arendelle," he finally answered. "There is a mountain to the north of the kingdom, on the highest peak sits a palace of ice."

Thor nodded stoically and marched out of the dungeon. Loki watched him go, and slid down with his back against the wall. So it had come to this, his best chance at holding onto his love rested on Thor's shoulders….Loki almost wanted to laugh at the irony. Still, this one glimmer of hope was enough to lighten some of the heavy ache inside his heart, just enough for his mind to clear and turn to contemplating his own escape.


End file.
